release engineering - devops definitions

feedback.md

I was asked to get some feedback on the following definition:

Dear Mr. Debois,

I would like to ask you for some feedback on the following definition drafts for the terms release engineering and DevOps.

Here, at RWTH Aachen University in Germany, we try to find definitions for those terms as part of a seminar in software engineering. Moreover, in my work, I try to point out the differences between release engineering and DevOps, because, as you might know, they are often confused or used as synonyms.

This is our first draft for the definitions:

• Release Engineering is a software engineering discipline concerned with the development, implementation, and improvement of processes to deliver software reliably and predictable.

• DevOps is a mindset encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration between teams, especially development and operations, of a software development organization.

We are grateful for any feedback you can provide. Additionally, we would appreciate it, if you could forward this email to other experts in these field who might also give us constructive feedback.

Patrick, are you happy for me to use your definition on the DevOps page of my company's website? You'll be fully credited of course.

Hey @saigo - that's too much credit. It isn't my definition, but what people at the RWTH Aachen University came up with! All kudos to them.

For me "especially development and operations" does not hold true any more.

Also, I feel devops is broader than a "software development organization" ... it could just as well be a "service delivery organization" :)

@beddari - at least it paves the path to open it up. I'd say for now the development and operations is still predominantly, but hopefully will expand the next years

Cool thanks @jedi4ever will credit them, it's a good little definition that one.

DevOps goes much further than that and is more like a collection of loosely coupled ideas at a larger scale.

• It's the identification and elimination of inefficiencies and waste (as defined prior by Lean IT or Toyota Production System methodologies).
• It's the implementation of iterative development through the use of Agile/SCRUM principles (assuming it wasn't already established)
• It's the elimination of barriers by encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration between teams (first)
• It's the elimination of cross-disciplinary boundaries by encouraging intra-member team training and knowledge sharing (second)

Essentially, it's the effort of moving away from any walls to toss stuff over and making it an issue that you can affect and change in a positive direction.

Release Engineering is just as you have described it - a discipline. One that should be supported by all of the members in the team as opposed to a role that had been traditionally defined.

Or at least this is the best way that I can currently describe it.

@wholroyd I totally understand your remarks & agree - I believe a definition will never be complete.
Boiling it down to the essentials is key.

Hi @salgo,
we are trying to find definitions for both terms with the
goal to publish a paper. The latter is difficult if one of the definition is to be found in the net before the actual publication.

Thus, if you are going to use one of those definitions, please reference
the related project description on our website:
https://www2.swc.rwth-aachen.de/?p=1579

Once the definitions are final and published, you can reference the paper ;).
Thanks in advance.

Andreas Steffens
Research Assistant

Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences
SWC - Computer Science 3 Research Group Software Construction